Marketing

💸 August 3, 2026: Expedia and Booking.com offer visibility tools that boost listing rankings through higher commissions. Expedia’s Accelerator and Booking’s Visibility Booster allow property owners to pay more to improve search results, with a pay-per-stay model on Expedia. Booking’s Preferred Partner requires a commission premium, a top 30% partner status, and a review score of 7+, offering up to 65% more page views. Italy's regulator scrutinized these practices in 2024 and launched another probe in 2026.

📅 MICE hotel marketing is crucial for targeting meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. Key insights: 1.65 billion global participants with $785 average spending. U.S. group demand rose 2.7%, driven by secondary markets. Incentive travel spending increased 4% to $5,100 per person. Fast, specific RFP responses are critical, ideally within four business days. Independent hotels can shine with quick, tailored services and strategic local partnerships, capitalizing on small meetings and unique experiences to compete with larger brands.

🏨 U.S. travelers increased spending on experiences despite overall trip spend falling, according to Arival's 2026 outlook. Business travel spending in Europe is projected to reach 389.9 billion euros in 2026, an 8.2% increase from last year. OTA's share of tour bookings rose to 33% in 2024, up from 24% in 2019. Hotels should leverage local partnerships, targeting specific demand gaps using structured agreements with trackable codes to convert existing local demand into direct bookings.

📱 On September 3-4, 2026, the Hospitality Social Media Summit will take place at Chicago Booth School of Business in London, aiming to educate leaders on integrating social media with revenue, service, and loyalty. Former IHG Global Director Whitney Reynolds highlights social media's evolution into a business-wide layer. Delegates can join the two-day programme and six-month development. Kordie® offers training for new hospitality roles, leveraging AI and expert insights.

📹 TikTok just launched "Mini Dramas" in the US, allowing brands to create episodic content with revenue sharing. This burgeoning format, akin to China's microdramas, is projected to generate $1.3 billion by 2025. Currently, 2.2M to 5M viewers are expected this year. P&G's 55-episode series showcases the potential. Meanwhile, Kalshi leverages AI-generated anime to bypass costly stadium ads, collaborating with Jake Wang's popular sports videos. This creative marketing shift highlights digital platforms' dominance.

📞 Recurring unsolicited calls and emails from Google Ads reps often cause stress. Avoid sharing account details with unknown contacts. Differentiate between direct Google employees and partner-affiliated reps by scrutinizing email domains and signatures. During kickoff calls, set clear agendas and request data-backed recommendations. Use Google reps for escalation, market insights, and beta features. Maintain productive relationships; reps may change frequently. Consider professional management for Google Ads campaigns to enhance ROI.

📊 Jul 27, 2026, by Markus Busch. Wholesale room-nights appear as occupancy wins, but discerning between unreachable guests and those who would book directly is crucial. Effective use of wholesale channels means targeting markets and dates you can't reach independently, ensuring bookings are truly incremental. Ring-fencing, opaque pricing, and dynamic channel management are key strategies. Identifying if a booking is genuinely incremental or substitutive is essential to avoid subsidizing unnecessary discounts. Evaluate data quarterly to refine strategies.

📈 Jul 27, 2026: Google announced the launch of AI Max, now supporting over 500,000 advertisers. IHG is the first hotel to secure a "Direct Offers" spot, invited by Google outside the open auction. This AI system claims a 15% increase in conversions and a 20% boost in ad relevance. Highlighted Answers, featuring sponsored links, are being tested. The paid AI answer slots, initiated with IHG, could later expand from invitation-only to self-serve.